


Pool Party

by WithoutBringingMeDreams



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: 5x01 Coda fic, M/M, at least so far, contains minor spoilers for 5x01, okay maybe a little angst because it's cannon compliant, total cheese
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-07 06:23:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3164585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WithoutBringingMeDreams/pseuds/WithoutBringingMeDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5x01 Coda Fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pool Party

 

A soft buzz invaded Mickey’s dreams. He groped one-handed at the source of the noise while the rest of him squirmed backward, towards Ian. Ready to connect with the warmth of Ian’s skin and drift off to sleep again, even if it was fucking hot as hell that night. What was a little more sweat between their already coated bodies?

But there was no contact. Not even when Mickey threw his arm back after silencing the stupid phone. No sleeping form beside him. No Ian.

His body spasmed to life before his mind did, flailing uselessly against the empty space on the bed. Still nothing. Then came the panic, irrational and blazing hot across his skin, turning his pale arms red enough to be seen even in the shadows.

_He may have to be hospitalized._

_He could be suicidal!_

And finally, at fucking last, sanity and full brain function returned. Ian wasn’t that lost little boy anymore, lying comatose under a lump of blankets. And just like that first night Mickey had awoken to find the lump missing, he’d surely discover a bleary-eyed Ian supporting himself with one hand against the wall as he took a piss.

Except, when rapid footsteps took him to the house’s only functioning bathroom, Ian wasn’t there.

Threat of a Russian curse-heavy lecture from Svetlana kept Mickey from calling out Ian’s name in the darkness. But fuck if the panic didn’t sink right back into his bones, mixed with all kinds of thoughts like the ones Lip and Fiona had been tossing at him earlier.

_But he will be._

_If he’s anything like our mother…_

Thank God he could shut that bullshit out, though, because it allowed him a moment to remember the fucking phone, which had buzzed with a message right before he’d woken up. So he ran back to it—even if he was damn sure by this time there was nothing to worry about. No point in waiting, was there?

The text was from Ian. And Mickey’s breath didn’t come rushing out of his chest in a giant fucking sigh as his thumb caressed the screen. No fucking way.

_At my place. Fiona called a Gallagher pool party. Come over if you’re awake._

He sure as hell was awake, because rising from a dead sleep and launching straight into a panic was as good as a bucket of ice water on his head.

 _Yeah idiot. It’s fucking 3AM you know?_ he texted back.

No response, which meant Ian was probably splashing around in the damn pool. Gallagher parties weren’t high on Mickey’s list of things to do, despite having been dragged into too many these past few months. The way all Ian’s siblings seemed so fucking ready to  _welcome_  him…shit, it just didn’t sit right. Like a stiff dress shirt and tie—looked good enough, but still felt  _wrong_ , somehow.

For now, at least. Maybe he could get used to it. Maybe. Ian was the only thing in his life that felt completely right. And even then, there were moments…

A mental wall shot up to block the thought. That old, useful habit. Mickey doubted he’d be alive today without it.

He didn’t put on a swimsuit, opting for a pair of jeans and a dirty wife beater instead. He’d hang around Ian anywhere if he had to, but he drew the line at fuckin’ frolicking in a pool full of Gallaghers.

*

A little less than a block away, it seemed that wasn’t going to be an issue. There was no party in full swing—no way in hell the Gallaghers could be that quiet. Mickey came upon a calm street, lights out in the house and silence in the yard. Just a shadowy, red-headed figure floating in the pool with arms and legs spread wide.

A grin exploded onto Mickey’s face. He couldn’t keep these smiles under wraps anymore. They sprang freely every time he was in Ian’s presence, and no amount of lip biting could hold them back. In the first few weeks after Ian’s depression cleared the muscles on Mickey’s face had actually been sore—they were that fucking unaccustomed to being used so frequently.

They were stronger now, though. Something else Ian had strengthened in his life.

Mickey reached down and grabbed a small rock from the sidewalk, then casually launched it at Ian, who was still floating spread-eagle with his eyes closed. 

Ian splashed and flailed satisfyingly as the pebble hit him square in the chest. “Hey, what the—Mickey!” 

Ian had a blinding smile, too—always had—and it still made Mickey’s insides quiver to know  _he_  could be the cause.

“Yeah, dumbass. What’re you doing out here by yourself? Looks like the party’s over.” 

“Only ’cause they’re a bunch of party poopers. It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it? I mean I can almost see stars. Maybe if there wasn’t so much light pollution. Wonder if I could take out the street lamps with a gun? Well, I know I could, actually. Don’t you think?”

Mickey scratched at the stubble on his chin. “Uh, I guess. Waste of ammunition, though. Who cares about fucking stars?”

“’Cause maybe then everyone’d stay out a little later. I mean, really, it’s too nice a night to be cooped up inside. Lip just got back! He should be out partying. It’s summer break! I could probably stay up all night.”

_Fast talkin’. Barely sleepin’._

Mickey shut his eyes. They’d had a good fucking day. A really good fucking day. The last thing he needed was Fiona’s bullshit in his head right now. Why weren’t his goddamn walls working when he needed them most?

“You’ve been on break forever, dipshit. You quit school like a year ago.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the spirit of summer break!” Ian stood up in the pool and drifted forward so he could hang his muscled arms over the siding. “Go get some guns. I wanna see the stars.”

_Recklessness. Impulsiveness._

“Fuck no.” Mickey almost didn’t realize he’d said the words aloud, until Ian’s eyebrows dipped down and he frowned. But it was probably a good thing he’d let it out, because hearing it strengthened his resolve.  _Fuck no_  was he going to let Lip and Fiona make him doubt in Ian—or in their life together. An impossible life with Ian in his bed every night and fuck, a wife he could somewhat tolerate who made them breakfast and gave a shit about them, and a baby who was actually kind of cute so long as he didn’t have to worry about it too much… which he didn’t, because Ian was always there to pick up the slack…

It all circled back to Ian. Ian was his shooting star. That fantastic, beautiful thing he hadn’t even been able to hope for as an angry, scared shitless kid.

“Not wasting my bullets,” Mickey ground out past a throat suddenly tight with emotion.

Ian stuck his bottom lip forward in a mock-pout. “But—” 

“Nah, man. We can make some slingshots tomorrow if you really want.”

Ian’s frown deepened for a second before he was back to a wide grin. “Whatever, man. Getting so responsible in your old age.” He pushed off the side of the pool and back into a floating position.

“Fuck you,” Mickey responded. Only response he could’ve given, really.

“Still not tired,” Ian called out. He kicked around a bit, sending water splashing onto Mickey’s shirt. “The night is young and so am I. Get your ass in here.”

Mickey chewed on his lip. This side of Ian…this  _restlessness_ …it was nothing, really. Normal. Completely fucking understandable, given the circumstances. Ian had lost his goals of West Point, of being an officer, of being in the army. So of course he was going to be  _off_  for a while. He was…finding himself again. And while this life may have been more than Mickey had ever dreamt of…he could admit to himself it wasn’t Ian’s ideal. Except—he really fucking hoped—the part where Ian got to have Mickey as his boyfriend.

So what if Ian was a little adrift…he didn’t need doctors and medicine. He just needed something to  _focus_  on. And luckily, he’d always been really fucking good at focusing on Mickey.

Mickey took a deep breath and pretended to study his knuckles. “I dunno, man. People might walk by.”

Ian stood straight up again, the exact look of disbelief Mickey had expected spread across his pale face. “You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me.”

“Nah, man.” Mickey shrugged. “You know I don’t mind bein’ open around people we know…doesn’t mean we should go inviting trouble with the shitheads in this neighborhood.”

“Mickey.” Ian draped himself over the poolside. “It’s the middle of the fucking night. No one is out here. No one’s gonna fucking come and start shit, and if they did, we could handle them. Now you’re gonna get your ass in here, or I swear to God you’re sleeping alone tonight.”

 _If he ever got to sleep at all._  Mickey sighed and shifted his feet. It was really fucking hard not to grab Ian and kiss that stern look right off his face. “Not wearing a swim suit.”

“Mickey,” Ian repeated. He leaned back, crossed his arms, and cocked a brow.

There went that damn unstoppable smile again, bursting onto Mickey’s face. He had to duck his head down to stop Ian from seeing. “All right, all right. Shit.” 

Mickey stripped off his pants and shirt, then gripped the side of the pool and launched himself over. He fell with a splash, almost directly into Ian’s arms.

Ian quickly clasped onto him, but Mickey slipped away by ducking under the water. He resurfaced on the other side of the pool and shook the liquid from his ears. 

Ian grinned and swam towards him, and Mickey again jumped out of reach.

 “What’s this?” Ian asked, still on the opposite side of the pool as Mickey. “We got a three-foot rule or something?”

“You don’t gotta be all over me while we’re in here, do ya?”

“I was all over you a few hours ago and you fuckin’ loved it.”

“You love sayin’ that shit out loud, don’t you? You love calling me out.”

They both chuckled, but the laughter quickly died into silence. Only the rippling sounds of water spreading out from their occasionally moving bodies filled the night air. Maybe the sudden awkwardness was from tossing the  _L_  word around a little too much.

Oh well. At least they were both fucking guilty.

Mickey let his shoulders sag. “All this...” he made a little circle in the water between them. “It’s still not that easy for me. I mean, it gets a little easier every day, but I know I’m gonna screw up at times.”

Ian pushed forward, as if sensing an opening. “You’re doing great, Mick. Really fucking great. Better than…better than I could’ve hoped.” Pain crossed his face, green eyes suddenly stormy and downcast. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple glistening with droplets of water as it trembled. “I’m the one…I’m the one who…”

Mickey reached out to grab Ian’s hand and yank him into his arms. “You’re the one who got me here.”

Ian embraced him fully and leaned down to kiss him, long and deep. As was its habit, one of Mickey’s hands snaked its way onto Ian’s wet shoulders, along his neck, and then sank itself deep into drenched red locks.

“I win,” Ian said, smiling against Mickey’s lips.

“Yeah, you win, tough guy,” Mickey agreed. He kissed Ian again and tangled their legs under the water. Ian squeezed him into a hug when they were through, then rested his head on Mickey’s shoulder. 

They stayed that way for several minutes, rocking slightly as if the still water around them was moving in gentle waves.

“Mick?” Ian mumbled, and Mickey could feel Ian’s jaw rub against his shoulder in a yawn. “Gettin’ kinda sleepy.”

Mickey exhaled slowly, the last ounces of tension draining from his body as he held Ian in his arms. “Me too. C’mon, let’s get to bed.”

They climbed out together and gathered up their clothes, gusts of warm summer wind drying their skin. And when Ian slipped his hand into Mickey’s, Mickey let him keep holding it all the way down the dark street home.

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'ed :-/
> 
> http://withoutbringingmedreams.tumblr.com/


End file.
